Poly awards 111 top performing students

The Polytechnic of Namibia this week hosted its 18th Awards Ceremony were 111 students were awarded Institutional Merit Awards and Performances Awards for their hard work, commitment and sacrifices they made during their studies.According to the Polytechnic Rector, Prof Tjama Tjivikua, the awards ceremony has become a traditional event in the Poly’s academic calendar to celebrate students’ excellent performance, notably those who distinguish themselves by getting on the honours roll.He said the ceremony also provides the institution an opportunity to engage its stakeholders and the community at large to showcase its excellent products.“All in all as a university, we embrace excellence and strive for the highest quality in all we do. The awards were selected purely on academic merits and thus this ceremony celebrates dedication, enthusiasm, commitment and hard work. An award is both a recognition and an incentive and I have no doubt these awards will provide a positive stimulus to the winners and to other students who will be looking at you as their role models,” said Tjivikua. He said, best performing students have not only earned top marks, but they have challenged their professors and fellow students to set higher and new benchmarks. The combination of an excellent professor and excellent student, meaning both are stars, is immeasurable and is what every institution hopes for, and works for.He further said, as the Polytechnic transforms itself into a university of science and technology, it will be embarking on some key initiatives which is to focus on stem disciplines; to strengthen its postgraduate qualifications as well as to strengthen its research capacity.“All those [developments are] in order to produce the high-level skills required by our country, so as to address our socio-economic challenges competently in the new economy. The turnaround of the state of our economy to achieve the goals of Vision 2030 depends largely on the national focus on education and thus any support for education serves as an indirect stimulus for our national development,” he said.Also speaking at the Poly award ceremony, Tarah Shaanika, CEO of the Namibia Chamber of Commence and Industry said these awards set the top performers apart from others.“With the progress you have made thus far, these awards do challenge and encourage you to become everything that you have the potential to be. This is particularly important not only for your personal benefit, but because of the time and space in which the youth find themselves. Opportunities are rare and the youth must compete intensely to become important players in the economy,” he added.He said, the youth can not remain oblivious to some of the challenges facing the country which include poverty, unemployment and inequality as well as the need to transform the local economy from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy capable of generating greater wealth for all citizens of the country.“We all owe it to future generations to ensure that they will inherit from us an environment that is sustainable, and that they translate the same values to future generations down the line. As we acknowledge and celebrate the exemplary achievements of the awardees, it would be important to understand those factors or activities that underpin their success,” he said.The Poly awards are sponsored by various institutions, companies and individuals.